Tori Amos made her long-awaited return to Central New York on Monday, August 3, with a sold-out performance at the Landmark Theatre in Syracuse. Amos, who last performed in Syracuse in 2007, is touring in support of her 2026 release, In Times of Dragons.

It’s hard to deny the impact that Amos has had on the music industry since she released her stunning debut album, Little Earthquakes, in 1992. Amos arrived on the scene at a time when grunge was dominating pop culture. Rather than follow current trends, Amos took the skills she learned as a classically trained pianist and blended them with her dynamic abilities as a songwriter, creating a sound unlike any other. Performing at times as a solo artist, and others with a full band, she has shown the world that a piano can be the centerpiece of rock music. She has released 18 studio albums and her influence can be seen across the music industry, including artists such as Fiona Apple, Alanis Morissette, St. Vincent, and Regina Spektor.

Amos’ band, which consisted of Jon Evans (bass guitar), Earl Harvin (percussion), Liv Gibson, Deni Hlavinka, and Hadley Kennary on backing vocals (the latter three known as the Angel Witches) took the stage promptly at 08:30. After a brief musical introduction, Tori Amos made her arrival to a standing ovation from the audience. She took her seat at her famed Bösendorfer grand piano and began playing the notes to “Fire To Your Plain”. “Shush” followed, the haunting and dramatic opening track on Amos’ latest album.

Amos and her band performed for nearly 2 hours on Monday, delivering a 14-song setlist ranging from longstanding fan favorites like “Crucify”, “Winter”, and “Precious Things” as well as deeper cuts such as “Icicle” and “Mary”. Amos performs a unique setlist each night, crafting a truly immersive experience for attendees. She curated new arrangements for old classics, notably on “Crucify” which featured dynamic harmonies from the Angel Witches and stretched over ten minutes long.

While Amos is clearly the star of the show, I found myself not only admiring her, but the performance as a whole. Harvin and Evans provided a breathtaking foundation for Amos to layer her piano melodies and vocals, with Harvin utilizing several different percussive instruments to create a variety of atmospheric sounds. The Angel Witches added in their beautiful harmonies, supplementing Amos’ vocals, and giving a sense of fullness to the performance.

Meanwhile, Amos herself remains as brilliant as ever, blending nostalgia with innovation and delivering a performance that left the audience wishing for more and hoping her next visit to Central New York comes much sooner than the last.

Setlist: Fire To Your Plain, Shush, Crucify, Honey, Mary, St. Theresa, Icicle, Winter, Black Dove, Past the Mission, Fast Horse, Blue Lotus

Encore: God, Precious Things